Kosovo Olympic authorities have made a formal request to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) urging them to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Novak Djokovic. The accusation against the Serbian tennis player stems from his statement at the French Open where he said, "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia," which the authorities claim has fueled political tension.
Djokovic's message sparks controversy
Following his victory in the first round on Monday, Djokovic wrote the aforementioned message on a camera lens. Coincidentally, on the same day, clashes between Serb protesters and 30 NATO peacekeeping troops resulted in injuries in the Kosovo town of Zvecan, which holds significance for Djokovic as it is his father's hometown.
According to Serbian authorities, 52 protesters were wounded during the confrontations. The violence erupted after ethnic Albanian mayors assumed office in the Serb-majority region of northern Kosovo, an area where the Serb community had boycotted the elections.
While Djokovic clarified that he is against any form of conflict, he stood by his statement and described the situation in Kosovo as a "precedent."
Kosovo’s Olympic Committee statement
“Novak Djokovic has yet again promoted the Serbian nationalists’ propaganda and used the sport platform to do so,” Ismet Krasniqi, president of Kosovo’s Olympic Committee (KOK), said in a statement.
“The further post-match statements made by such a public figure without any feeling of remorse, directly result in raising the level of tension and violence between the two countries,” he added, urging the IOC to investigate “by opening disciplinary proceedings against the athlete.”
IOC yet to comment
As of now, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not issued a response. Kosovo's tennis federation expressed their disappointment with Djokovic's comments, stating that he had utilized his influential status as a well-known personality to exacerbate tensions.
In response to the recent escalations in violence, NATO has decided to deploy an additional 700 troops to Kosovo, where they already have around 4,000 soldiers stationed. This reinforcement aims to curb the ongoing unrest, with an extra battalion placed on high alert.
Despite the controversy surrounding him, Djokovic, who is vying for a record 23rd grand slam title, is scheduled to compete in the second round on Wednesday against Hungary's Marton Fucsovics. The outcome of the match will undoubtedly attract attention given the current circumstances.
